OKC, OK Save this forum (Inactivity notice)

In an effort to clean up the MidSouth FanForce forums, I have evaluated the activity of low-traffic forums. Cities with rare posts, fewer than three posters, or that attract spam, are going to be deleted.

Without new activity in 14 days I will move the status of this board to inactive.

Forums can always be recreated, so in the future if there are more people interested in getting FanForce group events going in this area, we will create a new forum for the city?please don't be discouraged.

Upon removal of this forum, you will have to first generate interest on the MidSouth General Discussion board and have three individuals interested in FanForce.

If anyone has any questions please don't hastate to ask.

Elizabeth
Amidala Starkiller

 

Elizabeth,

Since moving to our own club-owned website and forum, this forum is now no longer necessary for our needs other than communicating the fact that we ARE a very active Star Wars Fan Club in central Oklahoma.

The Fan Force forums are wonderful for a grassroots startup of a Star Wars fan club, but are hardly adequate for a large, dedicated group. A few years ago, I expressed my concerns to TF.N's Powers That Be that no option for sub-forums within a city's forum (or other forum genre) is extremely limiting and not conducive to ongoing conversations about the different facets of Star Wars fandom, or even just for socializing. I mean no disrespect, but these forums are antiquated, and, based upon the response from TPTB and that these boards have hardly kept up with technology, that's obviously not going to change.

Also, we attempted to maintain our club's "name" on TheForce.net/Rebelscum.com by sending club meeting announcements, but only one ever actually made it to either's front page news... unlike some other cities. I post our club's event agenda (I simply forgot about September) at the beginning of each month, and as anyone can see, we do plenty of fun events and charitable events, just like some other cities.

It seems odd to me that we're being "punished" for being successful.

So... my questions...

• If we do not meet your guidelines, will JediOKC no longer be considered a "Fan Force Fan Club?"


• If JediOKC should no longer be considered a "Fan Force Fan Club," can individuals who have either overlooked JediOKC, or who wish to compete with us, take up the Oklahoma City sub-forum of the Mid-South forums and then be considered "Oklahoma City's Fan Force Fan Club?"


• Based on your guidelines, I can arrange to have 3 or more JediOKC club members post something here once a week, every other week, or monthly. Would this satisfy your guidelines?

--Len
JediOKC Council Member
TF.N Fan Force Manager Emeritus

 

Since I am short on time right not I am posting the FanForce's rules. I will answer your questions more directly tonight.

1) Club Membership
FanForce is open to every Star Wars fan with very few exceptions. General club membership cannot be denied for a lack of costume or a lack of money for dues. costumes are NOT REQUIRED to join any FanForce. Membership also cannot be denied based on a person's gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age (for people over 18). All official FanForce events need to be open to all ages, and family friendly.

The membership must use and maintain the forum provided by TFN to keep their official status as a FanForce. Also, there must be at least three members for the chapter to be official.

2) Becoming an Official Chapter
The first step to becoming an official FanForce Chapter is getting a chapter forum. There need to be three separate people from the same area interested in the chapter before a forum will be created. After a forum has been created, the club members need to have three meetings (with at least three members each) within a year. These meetings need to be announced on the chapter forum to be considered toward the three required, and they should be announced on the TFN main page if possible. After or during the third meeting, the first annual Chapter Rep election should be held (see the rule on Chapter Reps). Also, so stay official, a club must continue to have at least three meetings per twelve month period.

3) FanForce is not a costuming group
Fan Force is intended to be primarily a social group. While costumers can be a part of any Fan Force, costumes are not, nor will they ever be, required to join a FanForce or hold an officer position in the club. There are other groups where having a movie accurate costume is a requirement for official membership. This is not the case in Fan Force. Anyone is welcome, costume or not.

Some successful and active FFs around the globe have active costume aspects of their group, but do maintain a balance of events. Also, if a FF attends a costumed event, non-costumed fans and members must be allowed to attend and participate.

4) Distance between Chapters
It is generally best to have a chapter centered around a particular city. The rule of thumb on the minimum distance between chapters is fifty miles, give or take. This is subject to population density. Areas that are more densely populated could have chapters that are closer together, while more sparsely populated areas may have chapters farther apart. Special circumstances can be considered.

5) Meetings
All official FanForce meetings and events must be open to all ages and be family friendly. All members must be welcome at all events (unless removed from the group with GSA and RSA approval). Some meetings should be in public places to help new potential members feel more at ease. Meetings need to be announced on the chapter forum at least 1-2 weeks prior to the meeting, and should be announced on the TFN main page as well.

Alcohol is allowed to be consumed and served at meetings, but all laws concerning alcohol consumption must be followed. If a chapter is found to have knowingly served alcohol to a minor, they may lose their status as a FanForce and legal action will be taken.

Meetings cannot all be costumed events, and even costumed events should be welcoming to those members without costumes.

6) Chapter Forums
Chapters need to use their TFN forum often for event postings, chapter updates, and some socialization to draw in new members. The forum is the chapters main connection with FanForce. If a chapter only uses their forum to announce events, or does not use it at all, then the chapter will lose their claim on the forum, and their right to be called a FanForce. Off site forums are allowed, but they are not to replace the TFN forum. The FanForce administration cannot protect chapters as well if the bulk of what happens with the chapter is on a different forum and cannot help to settle

 

Ok here are some answers to your questions if I missed something you particularly wanted addressed or you have more questions please let me know. Now I feel I need to say this I never want to see a chapter leave or go inactive. An inactivity notice was posted because it had been over a month since the last post. - Elizabeth

If we do not meet your guidelines, will JediOKC no longer be considered a "Fan Force Fan Club?"

That is correct.

If JediOKC should no longer be considered a "Fan Force Fan Club," can individuals who have either overlooked JediOKC, or who wish to compete with us, take up the Oklahoma City sub-forum of the Mid-South forums and then be considered "Oklahoma City's Fan Force Fan Club?"

Correct again. If the JediOKC does not wish to maintain its FanForce status then anyone in the Oklahoma City area can start a new FanForce chapter.

Based on your guidelines, I can arrange to have 3 or more JediOKC club members post something here once a week, every other week, or monthly. Would this satisfy your guidelines?

6) Chapter Forums
Chapters need to use their TFN forum often for event postings, chapter updates, and some socialization to draw in new members. The forum is the chapters main connection with FanForce. If a chapter only uses their forum to announce events, or does not use it at all, then the chapter will lose their claim on the forum, and their right to be called a FanForce. Off site forums are allowed, but they are not to replace the TFN forum. The FanForce administration cannot protect chapters as well if the bulk of what happens with the chapter is on a different forum and cannot help to settle disputes because there is no access to the forum, PMs, or the like.

If four weeks pass with no posts on the chapter forum or just event posting, the RSA will warn the chapter that they are going to lose their forum unless significant changes are made. Two weeks after that, the chapter will lose their forum and cease to be an official FanForce chapter. Four months with out an official meeting of some sort planned and the chapter will lose their official status, and then the forum.

Threads in the FanForce forums must have a purpose. If a chapter has a few social threads and topic threads (ie threads on Movies, TV shows, things to do in the city, etc) that is fine. But, the should be threads on club business as well not just social threads.

Also the issue of the Chapter Representative needs to be addressed. xwing25 is still on record as the CR and has not logged in a year and his last post was on 11/19/05. For reference here is the section of the rules pertaining to the CR.

7) Chapter Reps
To be a Chapter Rep (CR) a person must be at least 18 years of age and live in the city/region they are Representative for twelve months of the year. There can also be only one CR per chapter. CRs are expected to uphold the CR Code of Conduct both on and off forum. They are also expected to report any problems on their forum or with their chapter to their RSA or a GSA as soon as possible. Condoning or encouraging negative behavior/posting habits could result in a demotion or ban of the CR in addition to the person(s) causing the problem.

Chapter Reps need to sign in several times a week to check their chapter forum, check their PMs, and check the CR forum. CRs need to post at least every other week in their own forum. They also need to contact their RSAs often regarding events and forum changes (headers, banners, etc). If a CR goes two weeks with out logging in, s/he will be demoted and the RSA will facilitate elections for a new CR. If a CR informs his/her RSA before an absence, the two week rule can be waived.

Chapters need to have annual elections for the position of Chapter Rep. The elections can take place in forum or in person. If the elections are in person, at least two people other than the current CR (who are not related to or in the same household as the CR) need to PM the results of the election to their RSA. Ele

 

I've been discussing this in the FanForce General forum. If I promise to maintain the monthly event announcement, can we keep this forum active? Others from our club, or me, can also post follow-ups regarding our events if that will make a difference.

Regarding the CR status, I'm sure that xwing25 (also an active member of our club) can either do some of these postings, or may consider relinquishing the CR role to me.

As far as "elections" go, I suppose we could elect a CR, but we handle club "steersmanship" a little differently than the FanForce rules outline.

 

Hey I keep forgetting to post this. The reason I haven't replied is I'm waiting for Nabooty_Call to get back for the weekend so he toss in his two cents.

 

*toss*

.02





We can maybe discuss it this weekend at the expo.

 

Sounds like a plan to me.

 

hi sorry i haven't been on here in a year i will try harder to stop by a little more often

 

Hello?

Anyone here?

 

Oh, pweese, pweese don't wet out wittle FF fowum go 'way!!!

I recently stepped down from our club's council, so the monthly updates appear to have dropped with me.